


An Oath to Stay

by TheFairieQueen



Series: DGM Rare Pair 2017 [1]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: 10 Years Before DGM, Angst, Anita - Freeform, Anita's mother, Backstory, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Death, Determination, F/F, Mahoja - Freeform, Maturity, Parental Death, Parents, Prequel, Promises, Romance, kinda angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 01:51:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12571044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFairieQueen/pseuds/TheFairieQueen
Summary: Ten years ago, Mahoja made a promise to Anita.





	An Oath to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 1 of DGM Rare Pair Week! I'm going to see how many more pieces I can get out for this week, but I definitely wanted to give some attention to Anita and Mahoja. These two are precious and dear to me in so many ways.
> 
> As a head's up, this fic takes place about 10 years before the events of DGM (so Anita is about 17 at the time, and Mahoja 19). It could have fit with the blue theme later this week (one being comfort), but for this prompt I felt it fit well with determination and maturity, which are some of today's themes. 
> 
> So, happy reading!
> 
> (Also an FYI for people who don't follow me on Tumblr - I ended up moving twice this month, thus why my updates haven't happened. So the hiatus I've been on should be ending soon. XD)

Anita had hardly spoken a word since the news came.  
  
Mahoja was worried. She knew that Anita’s isolation came from grief; at only seventeen, Anita had just learned that her mother had passed.  
  
No – Anita had just learned that her mother had been _killed_.  
  
It was disturbing news. Death was a difficult enough subject for most people to swallow. Even with it being a natural part of life, the concept of never seeing someone again with such a sense of finality was a heavy one. Mahoja herself couldn’t even say for certain how she would deal with someone close to her dying – she had never known her family, and had never experienced ties so close that the thought of death truly rattled her.  
  
People got sick. People were violent. People _died_. Mahoja had seen it often enough after years of being on her own, living in the streets, and working one shitty job after the next. Death was inevitable.  
  
Even with such things in mind, this particular instance was already more difficult to handle than Mahoja was prepared for. It had been a shock to everyone to hear that mistress and owner of the brothel was no longer alive. Anita’s mother had been a woman of incredible influence, with a will of iron and impeccable beauty to match. To think of such a woman succumbing to such a gruesome end was…startling. Even more so considering how she died.  
  
_‘An akuma attack…’_ Mahoja mused somberly.  
  
Mahoja honestly did not know the details – she had not been present at the time of the attack. It had happened in town though, and a large amount of people had been injured while several were killed in the crossfire. Anita’s mother had unfortunately been one of them, having simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
A thin line appeared on Mahoja’s lips as she thought about this. She knew it wasn’t her fault that she hadn’t been present, and her primary response was to protect _Anita_. That was Mahoja’s job: to act as a guard for Anita. The mistress had her own protection.  
  
Still, this didn’t eliminate the knot that had formed within Mahoja’s core. This didn’t eliminate the fact that the mistress had so graciously taken Mahoja in, and offered her work while actually being _kind_ to her. And this certainly didn’t eliminate the fact that Anita was now suffering over this.  
  
Exhaling, Mahoja looked at the closed door in front of her. It was Anita’s room, and although it was well past midnight Mahoja could see that the light was on.  
  
Mahoja hesitated. She didn’t wish to disturb Anita, but she also was not able to ignore the steadily increasing anxiousness she felt regarding Anita’s well-being. Was Anita alright? Probably not. Anita just had not been the same since the tragedy occurred just a week ago. Mahoja could still vividly recall the moment Anita was given the news, and how the color had instantly drained from the seventeen-year-old’s face. Anita did not speak the rest of the day.  
  
The barely audible sound of shuffling inside caught Mahoja’s attention, and before she could delay any longer Mahoja knocked on the door. The inside of the room quieted again.  
  
A few seconds passed before a response could be heard faintly through the door. “Who is it?”  
  
Mahoja felt a small wave of relief. At least Anita had responded. “Mahoja,” She answered.  
  
Another few seconds passed, but Mahoja waited. It was not long before she could hear the door unlock before a soft “come in.”  
  
Mahoja opened the door, closing it softly behind her. She spotted Anita sitting on the floor as she put something away – a flash of gold caught Mahoja’s eyes, but she didn’t focus her attention on whatever items Anita had been preoccupying herself with. Instead, she focused on Anita.  
  
Small, delicate Anita who looked so vulnerable in that moment.  
  
Like her mother had been, Anita was in the habit of always making sure she was presentable and put together. But tonight she was bare-faced, with not a speck of make up and her hair tied back simply. She had not yet looked directly at Mahoja, but Mahoja could see that Anita’s eyes were not red or puffy. It was a good sign, as it meant Anita hadn’t been crying. Mahoja hated the idea of Anita crying.  
  
Anita didn’t speak, and remained quietly on the floor. Her attention still appeared to be on the box she had just had opened.  
  
After a moment, Mahoja broke the silence. “I wanted to check on you, mistress,” She offered. “You spend most of the day in your room-“  
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
The answer came a little sharply, and Mahoja immediately closed her mouth. While she was concerned for Anita, her goal was not to cross any lines or boundaries. She realized that perhaps seeking Anita out might have not been the most appropriate decision.  
  
There was a slight awkwardness Mahoja felt, but it melted away as Anita turned to face her more directly. An apologetic look was in Anita’s eyes.  
  
“I’m sorry – I did not mean to sound so harsh,” Anita amended gently, the sincerity in her voice evident. “Thank you for checking on me.”  
  
Mahoja simply nodded in acknowledgement. “Would you like me to leave you for the night?”  
  
Anita paused, then shook her head. “No…no, you can stay,” She answered quietly before glancing away. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”  
  
For the second time Mahoja nodded, and again was silent. She could see that Anita’s gaze had again turned to the box as a forlorn look appeared on her face. Her dark eyes which usually sparkled so vibrantly were now dull and dry, and the young girl just looked _tired_.   Had Anita been sleeping at all?  
  
Mahoja was at a loss of what to do as she remained leaning back against the door. Her brow was creased in concern. Anita needed to take care of herself – now that her mother was gone, the responsibilities of the brothel would inevitably fall on Anita. Not to mention any responsibilities involving the support Anita’s mother had been giving to the Black Order – although, whether Anita would continue to support such an organization was not set in stone.  
  
Mahoja was not for certain, but she speculated that Anita might have harbored some bitterness toward the Black Order: an organization of those committed to fighting the Holy War and destroying akuma. Anita’s mother had learned of it through the arrival of General Cross Marian, who had easily enough won the late mistress’s support and heart. Cross had been present during the akuma attack that had taken the mistress’s life though, and Anita’s refusal to acknowledge Cross as little as possible after that day caused Mahoja to question how much Anita blamed on Cross.  
  
“These were the hairpieces my mother was going to give me,” Anita spoke, her voice breaking Mahoja’s train of thought.  
  
Eyes shifting, Mahoja’s gaze landed on Anita.   She could see a small smile painted on Anita’s lips, though the expression did not meet her eyes.   “My mother was going to give them to me when I turned eighteen, because that was what her mother did,” Anita was going on, before she looked at Mahoja and smiled sadly. “I guess that won’t be happening now.”  
  
Mahoja’s heart unexpectedly twisted as Anita turned, standing to put the box away on her vanity. The brawny young woman took a quiet breath, and pulled her gaze from Anita. “You’re carrying a lot right now,” Mahoja commented, her words somewhat stiff. She wasn’t sure exactly how to comfort Anita, and returned to her previous debate over inquiring about Anita’s sleep. Warily, Mahoja looked back at Anita. “Have you been able to rest alright?”  
  
A small, dry laugh escaped Anita. It was hollow and nothing like her usual laugh, which was often such a refreshing melody to Mahoja. “No,” Anita answered. “How could I?”  
  
Mahoja wasn’t sure how to answer, or even if such was truly warranted. But Anita then kept speaking. “I haven’t slept once since the news of my mother’s passing. If I close my eyes for too long I start to envision how she might have died,” Anita spoke, voice becoming distant. “Then I wonder if one day the same will happen to me…”  
  
The words were startling to Mahoja, and she immediately felt her composure crack. “That won’t happen,” She reassured swiftly.  
  
Anita appeared surprised by the change in Mahoja’s tone, and Mahoja realized she needed to gather herself.   She spoke again, but was careful to keep her words more controlled. “I’m sorry – it’s just I wasn’t there to help protect your mother, but I will be there to protect you,” Mahoja clarified. She hesitated slightly before lowering her gaze. “You don’t need to fear anything now.”  
  
At first, Anita said nothing. She merely stared at Mahoja a moment longer, their eyes meeting.  
  
Mahoja was faintly aware of her own breath catching in her throat, but was unable to look away. She was torn between gratitude and yearning when Anita finally averted her eyes.  
  
“General Cross should be more like you. If he had maybe my mother would be alive,” Anita murmured. While her words were quiet, there was a notable bitterness to her statement. “I even told the general I hated him when he asked me.”  
  
Surprisingly, another small smile appeared on Anita’s lips – though this time her eyes glistened, and the smile was tearful. “Do you know what he said, Mahoja? He said I would grow to be a good woman,” Anita spoke, before laughing softly as her dark eyes shone tearfully. “I don’t know why my mother would fall for such a man. I don’t know why she would-“ Anita’s words cracked, causing her speech to break abruptly as tears began to stream down her face.  
  
Mahoja froze, not knowing what to do. Anita was now just standing there beside the vanity, crying brokenly. With each passing second Mahoja could feel her own heart break a little more, and the sight before her was quickly becoming unbearable to watch.  
  
What could Mahoja do though?  
  
An instinctual pull suddenly came over Mahoja, and before she realized what she was doing she approached Anita, quickly pulling the other girl into her arms. Anita felt tiny in Mahoja’s embrace; Mahoja was careful as she held her, almost as though Anita were composed from the most fragile of porcelain.  
  
Anita seemed to reciprocate the embrace, clutching at Mahoja’s shirt while she buried her face, crying still. “M-Mahoja,” Anita sniffled in between sobs, “Y-You won’t leave me, like she did, right?”  
  
Mahoja shook her head despite that Anita’s face was still buried in her chest. “No, mistress,” Mahoja soothed, as she ran a hand down the back of Anita’s head. “I promise I’ll stay here to serve you always.”  
  
Still crying, Anita nodded as she continued to cling to Mahoja tightly. She felt limp in Mahoja’s grasp, so gently Mahoja guided Anita down so that they were sitting on the floor. Gingerly, she cradled Anita as the young mistress continued to weep openly. “It’s okay,” Mahoja continued to comfort softly. “I won’t leave you. I’ll stay by your side – I promise.”  
  
Anita nodded once more, but cried still. Soon her sobs slowed to a soft crying though.  
  
Mahoja still held Anita. She didn’t want to leave her mistress alone in such a state, and unless Anita asked her to leave Mahoja didn’t anticipate moving. She would stay all night if necessary.  
  
It wasn’t long before Anita’s breath steadied, and Mahoja eventually realized that Anita had fallen asleep. Mahoja didn’t mind though, and if anything was grateful that Anita would hopefully get some rest that night.  
  
And Mahoja didn’t mind staying there all night. She had promised to stay by Anita’s side, after all.


End file.
